


Normal is Subjective

by TheLadyVagabond



Series: These Little Conversations [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Fandom:Batman (Comics)
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Father-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:35:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21720019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyVagabond/pseuds/TheLadyVagabond
Summary: “I think there’s something wrong with me.” Jason announced because he’d been trying not to for the past hour and he just - he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t play it casual and pretend it hadn’t happened or believe Dick that it was just something that would take time.“There’s nothing wrong with you.” Bruce’s reply was patient but he didn’t look up from the microscope he was peering into.“Uh, pretty sure there is.” Jason snapped, angry by Bruce’s blatant assumption that he was over reacting.Jason and Bruce start an important conversation when Jason is high school aged.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne
Series: These Little Conversations [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1546867
Comments: 15
Kudos: 265





	Normal is Subjective

**Author's Note:**

> Aside from being sick, I've also been incredibly anxious about posting this story and the one I think I'm going to use for the next one. I hope people enjoy it and that it might help someone out there.

“I think there’s something wrong with me.” Jason announced because he’d been trying not to for the past hour and he just - he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t play it casual and pretend it hadn’t happened or believe Dick that it was just something that would take  _ time _ .

“There’s nothing wrong with you.” Bruce’s reply was patient but he didn’t look up from the microscope he was peering into.

“Uh, pretty sure there is.” Jason snapped, angry by Bruce’s blatant assumption that he was over reacting. “I mean, look hey, street kid here, abusive father, I obviously fucking have some issues, but I mean seriously, there’s something wrong with me. You should probably get me a shrink or something.” He grunted, crossing his arms angrily.

That certainly got Bruce’s attention, he was standing straight up looking at him now. “You...want me to get you an appointment with a therapist.” His tone was nearly incredulous.

“That’s what I said isn’t it?” Jason demanded, gripping his arms so tight he was probably bruising himself.

“Jason,” Bruce said evenly, “what happened?”

“What happened? What  _ happened _ is I asked out the hottest girl in school and instead of getting butterflies in my stomach when  _ I  _ asked her to  _ kiss me _ \-  _ I fucking vomited! _ ” Jason practically shouted, waving his hands wildly as if it would better make his point. “So obviously, there is something fucking  _ wrong _ with me! I mean, I didn’t think anyone ever touched me weird, but obviously something must have happened and I just like, blacked it out or some shit because normal well adjusted people do not just vomit all over the place when the person they ask to, fucking kisses them!” He was pacing now, heart pounding and frankly feeling like he might vomit again.

“Jason,  _ Jason _ !” 

Hands on his arms stopped him, forcing him to look at Bruce who had pushed his cowl down to be looking at him in concern. “There is nothing wrong with you.”

“Did you  _ hear _ what I  _ said _ -” He started furiously.

“Jason.” He said gently but firmly, making him stop. “I will absolutely set up an appointment with a therapist for you so that you can talk through anything that you want. If you think something happened to you when you were a kid then you should tell them that but -” He seemed suddenly unsure.

“But?” Jason asked, suddenly feeling all of eleven again, awkwardly and hopefully asking Bruce why he didn’t ruffle his hair like he did Dick’s. 

“But even if nothing bad has ever happened to you like that,” Bruce continued, voice quiet, reassuring, “it’s ok that you don’t want to kiss the most attractive girl in school. Or guy.” He added when Jason went to protest. “It’s ok if you don’t want to kiss anyone - now or ever.”

“It’s not _normal_.” Jason protested immediately, warily because...because Bruce was like reading Jason’s mind because he _didn’t_ _ever want to do that again_.

“It’s not  _ common _ .” Bruce corrected firmly. “Not everyone is - not everyone wants that kind of connection to other people. Not everyone feels a - physical attraction to other people. Some people don’t feel a romantic attraction either, it’s not -”

“I’m not some sociopath.” Jason recoiled and Bruce let him pull back.

“That’s not even remotely what I’m saying.” Bruce said quietly.

Jason crossed his arms uncomfortably.

“There are many kind of loves in this world. There’s the love between family, there’s the love between friends, there’s the love we have for strangers that we don’t even know and they’re all separate and different from the love some people have for romantic partners, or the love they have for sexual partners. You don’t have to feel or want every type of love to know what love is and show it.” Bruce said carefully. 

Jason didn’t know what to say, trying to process what Bruce was saying. “I don’t get it.” He admitted, frustrated. “It’s fucking weird.”

Bruce grimaced. “I’m not explaining this well. I’ll set up an appointment with Dinah for Thursday after school. Maybe she’ll be able to better say what I’m missing, if that’s still what you want to do.”

Jason debated, he felt really fucking embarrassed right now, but also a little bit curious. He didn’t quite get what Bruce was saying, not really, not totally, but it was...it sounded like he was saying it wasn’t as fucking awful as Jason thought it was. That Jason wasn’t - that there wasn’t something wrong with him after all, somehow.

“I just feel like - I’m missing something. I don’t know, I didn’t even want to ask her out. I mean I did.” He corrected with frustration. “She’s really smart and she’s funny, and we were like - good friends you know? And that’s what - that’s what you do, you go on a date?” He didn’t mean it to come out like a question.

“It’s what some people do.” Bruce corrected gently. “But it doesn’t sound like you enjoyed it.”

“Well because it suddenly got all weird! She was cool you know, like really smart and we talked about -” he flushed “- she was fun to talk to.” He grumbled. “And she liked some cool books and shit, but then she was acting all weird and - I wasn’t  _ doing it right _ \- it was like I could feel it, like when you know everyone is on a joke but you but you  _ don’t know what the joke is _ ?”

“Yes.” 

Bruce’s agreement caught Jason by surprise. 

“I know exactly what that feels like.” Bruce elaborated patiently. “And if you still want to talk about it after you meet with Dinah, we can. If you want. But for now, I think maybe you want to think about something else. I was going to head over to Star City for some Wayne Corp business, if you wanted I could call Oliver, see if Roy is home this weekend.”

Jason blinked, because, actually, yeah. That sounded kind of...perfect. He shifted, shoving his hands in his pockets. “That sounds cool.”

“Talking to Dinah or Star City?”

“Both.” Jason shrugged nonchalantly.

“Ok.” Bruce agreed. “Go let Alfred know we’re going to miss dinner so he doesn’t start it for nothing.”

Jason nodded numbly and started away. He stopped after a few feet though, and turned around to look at Bruce who was - who was frowning worriedly at his hands. 

It occurred to Jason that Bruce probably thought that he’d fucked that conversation up - but Jason, Jason felt like twenty times lighter than he had when he’d come down the stairs ten minutes ago. On impulse, he strode back over, and before he could think better of it, flung his arms around Bruce in a hug.

He smiled when Bruce was clearly startled, but without hesitation immediately hugged Jason back. Jason smiled into Bruce’s armor - he and Dick had really conditioned him well. He had the image of Plastic Man throwing himself at Batman for a rescue and Batman automatically hugging the man before he could think - and found himself laughing.

“Thanks Bruce.” He chuckled, then let go and sped up the stairs before Bruce could say anything or give him that look that made him start feeling itchy.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [My Tumblr](https://thevagabondcave.tumblr.com/) for DC stuff, primarily the batfamily. I've started posting batfam headcanons and other musings there, asks and messaging is open, pop by and say hi!


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